Squids, sea birds and BP executives were asked to leave the Urbana Market at the Square on Saturday. Or, rather, costumed protestors were.
Roughly 10 environmentally concerned University students marched through the Market to protest the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, which came to its three-month anniversary on July 20.
The main group, dressed as various sea creatures and BP executives, did not obtain a permit to protest inside the Market, and so Market Director Lisa Bralts asked them to leave.
But they remained at the Market’s entrance — which they were allowed to do — collecting signatures and chanting.
Eli Chen, junior in ACES and the Earth Week Chair for Students for Environmental Concerns, was in charge of the protest, although it was not originally her idea.
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“We think we should let people know not only that fossil fuels are bad, but that we need to turn to a more cleaner and more renewable energy source, and be more responsible of managing our resources,” Chen said.
People around the country have expressed concern about the spill, as well as disappointment towards British Petroleum (BP), the renters of the oil rig that exploded.
On Saturday, Chen marched around the shoppers, leading the group in chant:
“Oil, oil on the shore
We don’t want you anymore
One, two, three, four
Get the oil off the shore
Five, six, seven, eight
Act now before it’s too late.”
As they made their rounds, the protestors passed the table of Laura Bleill, co-founder of Chambanamoms.com, which she was promoting at the Square.
Bleill already followed the issue, and observed the protestors thinking the protest was tastefully done in comparison to others.
“Some are scary to children and offensive,” Bleill said.
Shi Huayi participated in the protest to protect the environment, a cause she said is worthwhile.
“I don’t like people polluting the environment, and everyone should be responsible,” Huayi said.
Observers were welcomed to join the protest, as did junior Debbie Liu.
Already at the Market, Liu joined her friends to protest on behalf of the victimized animals in the Gulf of Mexico.
“If people were in the ocean and they were swimming in the oil, I don’t think they would be very happy,” Liu said.
